Stories and Sample Projects

CompassData is a Member of the FEMA Risk MAP Program and the STARR Consortium Team

CompassData collects ground control and check points as the only ground control data provider to the STARR team.

We have collected more than 2,000 Ground Control Points for this project alone, as well as other control data used to assess the accuracy of the LiDAR data after it has been collected and processed by other team members.

In addition to providing the control data, CompassData provides the accuracy assessment and certification of the LiDAR data.

We have tested dozens of datasets for the program. We have collected data within four FEMA regions. These projects have taken us to more than 20 states with many challenging areas, including:

The heavily forested Northeast

The rural Midwest

The Pacific Northwest

Multiple locations throughout Alaska

STARR employs the services of multiple LiDAR subcontractors to complete the project. Aerometric, PhotoScience, Tuck, Continental Mapping Consultants and Woolpert have each been assigned areas of responsibility.

CompassData supports STARR to obtain the ground control needed by the LiDAR firms to support their collection efforts as well as obtaining the independent QA points needed to support Fundamental Vertical Accuracy (FVA) and Consolidated Vertical Accuracy (CVA) Assessment requirements for STARR.

To perform the vertical accuracy assessment of the LiDAR data, CompassData provides a spreadsheet with X and Y coordinates for at least 20 FVA and 15 CVA points for each of the project blocks. The corresponding subcontractor returns the spreadsheet containing the elevation of each coordinate found in the LiDAR data.

CompassData then compares the elevation of the LiDAR data with that of the accuracy check point, calculates the difference and reports our findings to STARR.

The use of CompassData to support all the control allows for one field crew mobilization, an independent source of data collection for the accuracy assessment, and a process where the base reference point for all control is the same, thereby eliminating one possible source of error as data is assessed.

All of CompassData’s collections and tests have been delivered on time or ahead of schedule. This has resulted in our continued participation in the program and multiple teaming requests from LiDAR data flyers to provide ground control for their projects outside of the Risk MAP program.